Global market wrap: Nvidia boost lifts Asian stocks, Hong Kong Exchange posts record earnings and more 

Japan’s Nikkei 225 breached the 59,000 mark for the first time on Thursday amid a rally in major Asian stock markets after Nvidia results eased AI impact fears.

We are back with quick updates about global stock markets and major developments across some of the top companies worldwide.

Most Asian markets advanced on Thursday as better-than-expected earnings from Nvidia helped ease investor worries over AI’s impact on jobs and businesses. Japan’s Nikkei 225 breached the 59,000 mark for the first time. The US futures traded lower on Thursday after overnight gains in key indices.

Here’s a look at some of the important developments across the global markets:

Nvidia Q4 earnings, guidance beat estimates

AI chipmaker Nvidia reported better-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 and also projected a higher growth rate for the current quarter.

The strong results came as a respite for jittery investors amid concerns about large-scale investments in AI infrastructure and their returns.

Nvidia posted a revenue of $68.13 billion for the last quarter of the 2025 fiscal year, up 73% year-on-year, against $39.3 billion in the year-ago quarter. Analysts had projected revenue of $66.21 billion for the quarter. The results were boosted by the data centre business, which accounted for around 91% of the revenue.

Net income rose to $43 billion in the last quarter of fiscal year 2025, compared to $22.1 billion a year ago, CNBC reported, quoting financial results.

The chipmaker also raised its revenue forecast to $78 billion, up 77% from a year earlier, which would be the fastest expansion in any quarter.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 crosses 59,000 for first time

Boosted by gains in tech shares after Nvidia’s strong earnings, Japan’s stock benchmark Nikkei 225 breached the 59,000 level for the first time on Thursday.

Appointments of two economists, who are viewed as favouring low interest rates, to the central bank board by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also elevated investor sentiment. Investors believe that the new central bank picks and Takaichi’s pro-growth policies will lead to a stable market.

Nikkei 225 raced 1.1% to hit an all-time high of 59,199.31 in morning deals, marking its third consecutive session of hitting record highs.

HKEX posts stellar earnings for second year

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), which operates the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, reported stellar earnings for FY2025 on Thursday, marking its second consecutive year of record-breaking financial results. Its net profit zoomed 36% year-on-year to HK$ 17.75 billion and revenue jumped 30% to HK$29.1 billion in FY2025, according to a South China Morning Post report.  The growth was fuelled primarily by "China Tech" sentiment and strong IPO activities.

Global Stock Markets

Asian shares extended their gains on Thursday for a fourth straight day as concerns over the impact of AI eased. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.9% to another all-time high. South Korea’s Kospi Index continued its winning streak to a fresh record high.

In the United States, the S&P 500 gained 0.8%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.6% and the Nasdaq composite 1.3% on Wednesday.

European benchmark indices hit a record high on Thursday, driven by strong corporate earnings. The United Kingdom’s blue-chip FTSE 100 index advanced 0.1% higher to 10,820 points as of 10:23 GMT.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices firmed up with Brent Crude rising 0.23% to $71.01 per barrel (at 7.40 pm GMT).

Spot gold advanced 0.1% to $5,174.07 per ounce, as of 11:44 GMT. On the other hand, Spot silver was down 2.1% to $87.52 per ounce.